Embodiments of the present invention relate to systems and methods for electronic locking and/or tracking of a movable freight container.
The US Federal Bureau Investigation reports that in 2015 over $30B per year of cargo was lost in the USA due to theft. In many other countries, these theft rates are even higher. Historically, the best solution was to lock the cargo as well as possible. It is desired to use wireless communication technologies, Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), and the Internet of Things (IoT) to track the location and history of a cargo, either separately or in conjunction with a lock. This can significantly improve cargo security. It can also provide information about the location and history of the cargo.
The following is a list of desirable features for an electronic tracking, monitoring, and/or locking system or method for movable freight containers:    (a) The system and/or method should be as reliable as possible. For example, it needs to work consistently in the typical environment for a freight container, which can include: a broad range of temperatures and exposure to moisture, humidity, shock, vibration, dirt, chemicals, and pollution.    (b) The system and/or method should report and/or record the environment to which it is exposed by recording parameters such as temperature and vibration.    (c) The system and/or method should be configured to operate for long time periods without recharging. This means it should have low power consumption, sufficient battery storage, and the capability of harvesting power while in use.    (d) The system and/or method needs to be tamperproof. If it is tampered with, the system should immediately communicate an alarm and the system location at the time of tampering.    (e) To reduce the possibility of tampering, the system and/or method should be hidden, or be so small and/or unobvious as to not be seen.    (f) The system and/or method should track its location and to communicate this back to the “base” on a regular basis.    (g) The system and/or method needs to be affordable, easy to manufacture, and easy to maintain.    (h) The system and/or method should integrate with industry standard communications technologies and protocols.    (i) The system and/or method should be configured to be used anywhere in the world.    (j) The system and/or method should have multi-level communication capability with other similar systems and other vehicle systems and smart devices carried by mobile individuals, in addition to being IoT enabled.    (k) The system and/or method should incorporate optical, electro-optical and radar sensors such as cameras, lidars and radars.
It should be understood that the drawings are not necessarily to scale. In certain instances, details that are not necessary for an understanding of the invention or that render other details difficult to perceive may have been omitted. It should be understood that the invention is not necessarily limited to the particular embodiments illustrated herein.